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Thinking Soils: A synthetic biology approach to material-based design computation (2016)

article⁄Thinking Soils: A synthetic biology approach to material-based design computation (2016)

contributors⁄

Dade-Robertson, Martyn

Corral, Javier Rodriguez

Mitrana, Helen

Zhang, Meng

Wipat, Anil

Ramirez-Figueroa, Carolina

Hernan, Luis

in issues⁄

ACADIA 2016: POSTHUMAN FRONTIERS: Data, Designers, and Cognitive Machines (2016)

abstract⁄The paper details the computational modelling work to define a new type of responsive material system based on genetically engineered bacteria cells. We introduce the discipline of synthetic biology and show how it may be possible to program a cell to respond genetically to inputs from its environment. We propose a system of synthetic biocementing, where engineered cells, living within a soil matrix, respond to pore pressure changes in their environment when the soil is loaded by synthesising new material and strengthening the soil. We develop a prototype CAD system which maps genetic responses of individual bacteria cells to geotechnical models of stress and pore pressure. We show different gene promoter sensitivities may make substantial changes to patterns of consolidation. We conclude by indicating future research in this area which combines both in vivo and in silico work.

keywords⁄intelligent materials, material based design computation, synthetic biology, embedded responsiveness, 2016


Year	2016
Authors	Dade-Robertson, Martyn; Corral, Javier Rodriguez; Mitrana, Helen; Zhang, Meng; Wipat, Anil; Ramirez-Figueroa, Carolina; Hernan, Luis.
Issue	ACADIA 2016: POSTHUMAN FRONTIERS: Data, Designers, and Cognitive Machines
Pages	460-469
Library link	N/A
Entry filename	thinking-soils